5 Red Bladesinger Series
by Awatere11
Summary: The next in the series, yep it's growing. Torchwood Cardiff collaborated for this one, what a gal! Love Ya chickie!
1. Chapter 1

_**This is for TorchwoodCardiff who I will love til the stars fall from the sky.**_

Ianto has had a feeling Toshiko had been trying to gather the strength to tell him something. Three times now he had turned while practicing the blade to find her nervously folding and refolding his towel where he's flung it earlier.

"Toshiko, my clever little one," he said softly behind her left ear making her squeal with surprise.

"Ianto!' she laughed turning to mock glare at him, "don't do that!"

"Do what" he asked from her opposite ear and she laughed then blushed at the fun of it all.

"What is it Toshi?" he sighed leaning back to gaze lovingly down at her. "No-one can hear us here."

"You know my family come from an old Japanese bloodline and we were all taught to respect the blade and its song," she said softly through her hair as she tried to control the blush. "I love to hear your blade sing, it reminds me of my mother dancing in the sunlight with her robes floating on the breeze."

"Yes little bird?" Ianto said smugly, "Emperor Hirohito I believe?"

"Ah Toshiko, did I tell you that I have seen another sword?" Ianto asked with his head cocked to one side as she stared at him hard. Toshiko hard.

"No!" she said feeling out of her depth, "I thought you only had the blue-singer"

"Let me tell you a story as passed to me by my Great-Uncle's Son when I was last with my true family." Ianto sat and motioned for her to sit beside him which she did eagerly.

Ianto did not often offer information about his true self and she hungered for the knowledge of a people she had never met, as always Tosh was an analyst. Information was essential to understand things.

"My Great-Uncle Susano, named after the doctor's Granddaughter Susan, was unhappy with the Doctor's decision to "dump the family in Wales" as he put it and asked the doctor for an alternate choice. He took my Great-Uncle and his son to Japan, the Izumo province to be precise."

Toshiko went still with shock, her ancestral home. Really?

"He met a man called Ashinazuchi who was grieving with his family over the loss of his eight daughters. A giant snake had eaten them and the snake was expected to come for the final daughter they had in hiding called Kushinada-hime, whom he fell in love with when he saw first her. He put out several large half barrels of sake and when the snake was drunk he killed it. They gutted the snake and found that although it had consumed many people their trinkets and metal items like hair combs and daggers had been unaffected by its stomach acid, including a beautifully crafted sword he named _Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi_." Ianto stopped for breath and Tosh looked at him defiantly.

"You're telling me that the Great God Susanoo was actually an alien visiting with the doctor who fell in love with my ancestor?" she challenged.

"Yes little dumpling of mine," Ianto chuckled stoking her face, "He married her!"

"Oh my goodness, really?" she laughed softly in that musical way Ianto loved leaning absently into his touch. Loyal little bird, so seldom touched yet so deserving of love.

"The sword had another name, "The Kusangi" I think it was called," Ianto struggled to remember the story told by the fire late at night and several beverages down.

Ianto missed how still Toshiko had become and he continued the story now he had found the thread in his edidic memory "It was said that generations later it was gifted to a great warrior called Yamato Takeru. A distant member of the bloodline who was caught in a grass fire and while using the Kusangi to cut the grass around him in an attempt to create a fire break for himself and his men he swung the blade, the wind shifted and it began to draw the fire into its tip."

Toshiko was leaning forward with her petite hand lightly sitting on Ianto's thigh and he placed his hand over it as a brother would his baby sister.

"You mean…" she whispered with anticipation.

"Yes little sister, the bloodline retains the bladesinger gift," Ianto smiled.

Ianto reached behind the seat and pulled a long sheathed blade from the shadows. The sword he had found deep in the recesses of the archives felt warm in his hands, it always had at T1 as well. He had first cursed Jack for having it and then realised that he would have scavenged it with everything else not nailed down before UNIT took over not knowing it was Ianto's friend and was grateful his little friend had survived. Without the red-singer he would have never learnt how to dance in the first place.

Tosh held her breath as her heart leapt into her throat and Ianto presented the blade to her in the traditional manner.

With shaking hands she reached for the leather bound handle. Looking at Ianto for assurance she grasped it and quickly pulled the blade into the light.

The resounding bell ring as it cut the air to swing at her side caught her by surprise, but not Ianto who grinned with glee as he watched the usually shy Toshiko strut into the middle of the floor.

The blade was nearly as long as her leg and she would be able to lean on it if she would ever disrespectfully used it for that, which of course he knew she wouldn't.

She gave an exploratory swing around her hip and the melody sounded again soon to be added by her soft laugh. As she began to dance the tip bled the flickering tendrils of flame and soon she was surrounded by fire in the air.

Ianto closed his eyes and welcomed his sister to the song of the bladesinger as he stepped forward to dance with her. His own blade throwing cold blue ice to counteract the red fire as fire and ice was renewed.

Sources included:-

wiki/Kusanagi

The history of the _Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi_ extends into legend. According to _Kojiki_, the god _Susanoo_ encountered a grieving family of _kunitsukami_ ("gods of the land") headed by _Ashinazuchi_ (足名椎**?**) in Izumo province. When Susanoo inquired of Ashinazuchi, he told him that his family was being ravaged by the fearsome _Yamata-no-Orochi_, an eight-headed serpent of Koshi, who had consumed seven of the family's eight daughters and that the creature was coming for his final daughter, _Kushinada-hime_ (奇稲田姫**?**). Susanoo investigated the creature, and after an abortive encounter he returned with a plan to defeat it. In return, he asked for Kushinada-hime's hand in marriage, which was agreed. Transforming her temporarily into a comb (one interpreter reads this section as "using a comb he turns into [masquerades as] Kushinada-hime") to have her company during battle, he detailed his plan into steps.

He instructed the preparation of eight vats of _sake_ (rice wine) to be put on individual platforms positioned behind a fence with eight gates. The monster took the bait and put one of its heads through each gate. With this distraction, Susanoo attacked and slew the beast (with his sword Worochi no Ara-masa[1]). He chopped off each head and then proceeded to the tails. In the fourth tail, he discovered a great sword inside the body of the serpent which he called _Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi_, which he presented to the goddess _Amaterasu_ to settle an old grievance.

Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya dates back to c. 100 CE[_citation needed_] and houses the Kusanagi sword

Generations later, in the reign of the Twelfth Emperor, _Keikō_, _Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi_ was given to the great warrior, _Yamato Takeru_ as part of a pair of gifts given by his aunt, _Yamato-hime_ the Shrine Maiden of Ise Shrine, to protect her nephew in times of peril.

These gifts came in handy when Yamato Takeru was lured onto an open grassland during a hunting expedition by a treacherous warlord. The lord had fiery arrows loosed to ignite the grass and trap Yamato Takeru in the field so that he would burn to death. He also killed the warrior's horse to prevent his escape. Desperately, Yamato Takeru used the _Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi_ to cut back the grass and remove fuel from the fire, but in doing so, he discovered that the sword enabled him to control the wind and cause it to move in the direction of his swing. Taking advantage of this magic, Yamato Takeru used his other gift, fire strikers, to enlarge the fire in the direction of the lord and his men, and he used the winds controlled by the sword to sweep the blaze toward them. In triumph, Yamato Takeru renamed the sword _Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi_ (lit. "Grasscutter Sword") to commemorate his narrow escape and victory. Eventually, Yamato Takeru married and later fell in battle with a monster, after ignoring his wife's advice to take the sword with him.

According to legend, the "sword in the snake," Kusanagi, was found in the body of an eight-headed serpent killed by the god of storms and seas. It's part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, icons of the ancient imperial family's descent from the sun goddess––the symbols of their divine right to rule.

The Kusanagi is said to be housed in the Atsuta shrine in Nagano Prefecture, though it isn't on public display and hasn't been seen in centuries. The sword is occasionally brought out for imperial coronation ceremonies, but it's always kept shrouded in wrappings. Even though it has never been seen, and is only recorded in collections of oral history and pseudohistorical documents, authorities have nevertheless succeeded in keeping the world guessing about the Kusanagi by never officially confirming nor denying its existence.

The only official mention of the sword came after World War II—even though the late Emperor Hirohito disavowed any claim to his divinity, he was also recorded as having ordered the divine regalia's keepers to "defend them at all costs."


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm posting 2 chaps to make up for none the last few days ... my laptop died and HP were SOOO good getting it replaced. All going now an I've so much work to catch up it ain't funny. Can't read my own bloody handwriting on some stuff. EEK! Love yas.**

Tosh was watching Ianto and he could feel her eyes on him as he crossed the room with the tray of drinks. With a 'silence' stare he warned her to stop. She looked down quickly and shuffled her papers.

During their morning sparring session he had frightened her and she found her mind wandering.

_Ianto was laughing as he danced around her easily flicking her blade aside and then he was suddenly on his knees gasping as the blade's bite caught him on the hip._

Although he had assured her it was not a deep score and it was entirely his own fault as he hadn't recalibrated his body mass with the baby making him heavier, it only made her feel worse. When he said that if he had taken a moment to remember he was nearly four months gone he would have pivoted more to compensate for his extra girth she could have screamed.

Tosh was still beating herself up as she was the mathematician who really should have thought of this and compensated her swings as well. God, how stupid could she be to actually spar with a pregnant man. Jack's pregnant man no less.

Jack had noticed Tosh's discomfort as well as the way Ianto had glared at her as he bent with the tray and he smelt a rat. As Owen droned on about something boring and Gwen asked questions like she understood the blah blah he waited for Ianto to get close enough and then, as Ianto lent to place his coffee in front of him he reached out and grabbed him.

His intention had been to pull him onto his lap and tickle the secret from him but Ianto's sharp bark of pain stopped the entire room who then zoomed in on him as he struggled to escape the hands already pulling at his clothes.

"Yo, Tea-boy what have you done now?" Owen rounded the table and helped Jack uncover the bandage covering Ianto's left hip.

"Oh God" Jack cried, rising on horror.

"It's just a scratch, really" Ianto protested trying to wriggle free.

"What happened?" Jack yelled, getting angry now.

"A simple accident, just a stupid mistake that was all mine!" Ianto knew he had made a mistake as Jack's eyes narrowed.

"So who do I not blame then?" Jack asked quietly.

"No-one, I told you I made a mistake," Ianto growled pushing at Jack to let him go.

"Me" Toshiko said softly making Owen gasp with surprise.

"Tosh, no!" Ianto warned but Jack had already released him and had crossed the room to her.

"What do you mean? How could you have done that?" Jack was confused and it showed on his face.

"We were sparing and …"Tosh began to explain.

"WHAT!" Jack roared into her face.

He then turned to shout at Ianto. He roared his anger and rage in Ianto's direction only to be cut off by Hart's bark of warning.

John stepped between the men and pulled Ianto to him, shielding him from Jack and Jack saw his fear. Ianto was shaking as Hart talked soothingly to him and patted his shoulder. He had never seen Ianto so afraid of him and he felt terrible.

"Hey," Jack reached for Ianto's hands, "Hey, an accident yeah? But hon, sparing in your condition?"

"You don't let me out if the hub in daylight even though I'm not even bloody showing, I can't even help with the retrievals. You refuse to let me catalogue anything in case it's contaminated and yesterday you made me spend the whole day on the bloody couch going over those files. I was going stir crazy." Ianto worked his bottom lip and as Jack's eyes widened he knew he had won.

"I need to keep some training in, I'm getting so fat!" Ianto wailed with a wobbly bottom lip now.

"Oh Babe, I'm sorry," Jack pandered and Ianto tried not to smile as Jack pulled him into a hug.

"Oh, Jack I'm sorry. Don't be angry with me you know how I hate to disappoint you," Ianto was not crying but his whole body shook. Jack held him tight and kissed his hair.

With a wink at Tosh that was not lost on John Hart Ianto finally gave a loud sniff.

Jack immediately renewed his murmurings of love telling Ianto he was gorgeous and cute. A real sexy man. With his arms tight around him and his hands rubbing Ianto's back Ianto nuzzled into Jack's neck.

"Need you daddy," he whispered with a soft whine and nip of the skin.

Jack gave a yelp and then moaned with lust.

"Oh, wow." John whispered as he watched Jack become totally pliant in Ianto's hands. Rubbing against him and softly pleading for skin contact while pulling at Ianto's clothes.

"Time to go" Owen yelped springing for the door with a giggling Gwen following.

Tosh moved slower with one eye on her brother and the other on John Hart who had started to slowly circle the couple.

With a snarl she leapt. Her blade sung a high single note of warning as it cut through the air to clip John's chin and land at his pulse point.

"Touch my brother and I will gut you like a fish" she hissed, her fangs small but delicately curved like a snake.

John's squeal of surprise was drowned out by Ianto's roar as he also turned, pushing John behind him and slipping effortlessly into a fighting pose.

"Really? Him too big brother?" she gasped lowering her blade to his crotch instead, "he's touched you with his dirty little body?"

"Oi! I have a lovely little body!" John defended then realised how that sounded," I mean Big, Big BBIIGGGG Body!"

"wait a bloody god blasted minute!" Owen barked.

"Owen … Out!" three vices said at once.

With a muttered oath or two Owen stomped off.


	3. Chapter 3

It was supposed to be a shopping spree. A little sumthin-sumthin. Ianto had been unwavering in his demands to go "nest" before he was too large to hide his bulk from public view.

Jack remembered the self-imposed segregation the first time and how moody Ianto was the last four months of the pregnancy so saw no harm in indulging him. Learning that Bladesingers hoard and nest had been a surprise and to learn this little fact late in the game with Miller, when Ianto only had on-line shopping had been a right royal pain in the proverbial. The chance to let him indulge his cravings for little fluffy things seemed a small token for the following months of lock down he will endure all over again.

Let's face it. Was he ever going to say no to that pout? Especially since Ianto had played dirty pool by making the request while naked, dripping wet from the shower with his "barely there" bump cradled in his hands. Damn, he was gonna be the death of him … several times over, Jack had thought as he had dropped to his knees at Ianto's feet already licking his lips.

So here they were. Gwen ahead of him pretending it was her up the duff so they could explain why they were in "Baby n' Me" filling several trollies with the most gorgeous things Ianto had ever seen. Poor bloody Rhys was not gonna know what hit him when she finally did pop one out.

He knew the gushing over the little cream with brown trim teddy bear stretch-in-grow (that even had a tail on its little butt to match the ears on the hood) was a bit excessive, but the girls hadn't called him on it. Tosh was pushing a trolley with "Mommy" Gwen ahead of him complaining about her ankles again.

This is how it came to this point. Ianto was not expecting the rough hands that grabbed him from behind slamming the chloroform soaked cloth over his mouth or the punch to his head as he bit into the fingers holding said cloth but as he slipped away he did know the battle cry from Tosh was right on time.

ooOoo

Jack doesn't remember the drive to the store, even now. One minute he was in his office, the next in the store pacing like a wild animal.

Tosh had met them with a sword in her hand, not Ianto's. Hers? The one from the meeting a month ago. The TW1 sword from his secure lock-up. Huh! Jack realised that he had completely forgotten that weird day and his Welshman had conned him yet again. Gwen was sobbing and inconsolable. The dead goon Tosh had gutted was no help but the second one wasn't dead yet. Jack looked at the injuries and saw he would live.

Right. CCTV first, pound the fucker later. The office was silent as the tape played, black and white without volume.

_The large blonde man grabs Ianto who struggles. The cloth over his face visible and the man lashes out, cuffing Ianto in the side of the head. _**Jack growls**_. Ianto slumps in the man's arms as Tosh turns and crouches, a large red blade extending down her arm. With a sweep of her arm the goon by Gwen falls. OK, so that's the one we'll call fish. As in Gutted like. She pivots the blade with a flick of her wrist and slams it behind her into goon two who steps into view as Gwen falls against the shelving. Ianto is dragged out of camera view as goon two grabs Tosh's hair and swings her into Gwen. Toshiko slams her shoulder in the sword and it exits goon two's chest. He finally falls. Ianto is gone._

Jack is silent and still. Tosh is making strangled noises in her throat as she taps her toe against the leg of goon two again and again. He sits leaning against the wall waiting to die. Looking up at Captain Jack Harkness he could swear he is glowing, his rage palpable in the early evening light.

Hart is walking between the rows flashing in and out of sight, Mickey and Martha following him as he rages at the world in general. With each flash of them Mickey is disarming yet another weapon. Gun. Gun. Laser. Mini-bazooka? Gun. Switchblade. Gun with blinking lights. Grenade getting pin replaced. Gun.

"Where will he take him?" Jack finally hisses through clenched teeth.

The goon regards him silently with a smirk, which changes to a grimace as Toshiko moves her foot to step down on his thigh.

"Think long and hard. " Jack is calm. He is ice. He is a glacier. "Where were you told to take him?"

Goon two shakes his head and closes his eyes. Tosh lets her heel slide until it nestles in his groin area. As she puts her full weight on her stiletto he finally makes a sound, and it's not pretty or very melodic.

"Just so you know, I'm not going to kill you," Jack purrs in a strangely carefree way, "No. If my mate or the child is hurt … she will."

Jack watches the goon's eyes widen at the statement and Tosh leans closer to hear what he is trying to say. A gargle. Tosh leans back and releases his gonads.

"What kid? We were told only to grab your bit of pretty." He finally gasped out.

"My bond-mate. My soul keeper. MY HEART!" Jack roared. Then cleared his throat and shook it off. His smile returns as if by magic and he leans in again as though sharing a secret with a confidant.

"Ianto is with child. He is twenty weeks pregnant and if you or your inept friends hurt my family I will not be remembering you on the Christmas list" Jack's grin is feral, tinged with insanity.

Too late the goon recognises his doom and his screams of mercy as he begs for his life makes Toshiko smile as she works, in the same way a viper might before it devours its meal.

He has told all he knows, babbled, pleaded, and screamed. Now as Jack walks away he has nothing left but his final breath, which Toshiko breathes in as she pulls her blade back out of his throat. Her eyes gleaming ruby red, her lips curled back in a snarl. Owen is turned on by her erotic behaviour.

Whereas John is … well a hot mess. Alternating between threatening to kill everyone, no matter how many guns they take from him he keeps producing another, and begging for Ianto to be safe.

Jack was surprised at the name given. This "Bug" had been shaken down months ago and Jack had been sure they'd shut him down. To learn he had been planning to use Ianto as leverage for rights to sell in Cardiff was mind boggling. He clearly had no idea what shit-storm he had called up. Time to reap the whirlwind mother-fucker.

As the SUV scams up the small land Jack checks his weapon for the third time. His hands are shaking. Oh shit, Gods keep my babies safe and my aim true.

The London town house seems vacant but Tosh scents the air before stating factually that "Blood is here". Although her eyes have stopped glowing the pupils are still blown and flecked with flames, the sword has yet to disappear and Jack is surprised at how easily he accepted the revelation that she was also of Bladesinger decent.

Owen is too busy trying to sedate Hart who has managed to knock Mickey unconscious and is now battling both Owen and Martha in the back seat, his need to rush the house overruling logic.

Jack checks his gun one more time (for luck, I swear) and then looks up as the sound of breaking glass shatters the air. A head has slammed out the upstairs window and can be seen amid the falling glass, then is pulled viciously back through the glass and the spray of arterial blood is like a fountain back out the open hole left behind.

Moments later a blue tipped blade swings in an arc out the window and back in cutting through the wooden frame like it was butter. A high pitched scream is heard which raises in tempo and pitch then falters and dies.

"Ah, there he is" Jack says calmly as though seeing him across the room at a party.

With a grin he starts up the steps calling over his shoulder "Coming?"

Hart is out of the SUV, Owen landing in the dirt as Hart steps over him while checking his own weapon.

"Come on Red, let's party" he growls at Toshiko who matches his swagger into the dwelling.

As Owen slowly rises to his feet more screams and shouts are heard, punctuated with shots fired and shrieks of pain. Martha cowers in the SUV, Mickey's head in her lap as she tries to block out the sound of slaughter.

After what seems like an age a hand touches her cheek and she opens her eyes.

"It's over babe" Owen says softly and she recognises the silence.

Hart exits first, all swagger and a gun in his left hand, Katana in his right. Tosh is a step behind with her own blade still glowing red from its feast pointed at the ground angled away from her jimmy-choo shoes so the droplets of blood don't stain her kicks. Finally Jack stumbles out, Ianto on his arms.

"Oh God," Martha pushes past Owen who looks back and sees Ianto, his shout echoing hers as he struggles to reach them with Martha.

"He's in shock … Jack he's overwrought, put him down" Owen orders and Jack drops to his knees.

"Martha, check his vitals, I'll check sweetie" Owen barked, already pulling Ianto's top up to expose the belly.

Jack wonders idly when Owen started calling his unborn child that then realises that it doesn't matter. Sweetie. Love, precious. Just call it alive.

"I've got a beat, strong and true" he finally crows with pride like it's his own baby.

Jack let a sob escape. He'll allow one, then scoops Ianto back into his arms ignoring Owen and Martha as they chastise him for stopping their checks.

He's OK. They're OK.

Ianto's soft breath against his neck as he snuggles in is all Jack needs to survive.

As they head back to Cardiff Ianto starts to rouse, asking for Miller and bemoaning the blood they are wiping from their clothes all over the seats.

Jack laughs even as the tears flow. Bugger the leather, he'll do much worse to these back seats as soon as they're able he informs Ianto with a life affirming snog.

Owen's howl of horror is drowned out my Hart's laughter as they speed down the dark road home.


	4. Chapter 4

Ianto was drifting in the warm embrace of his lovers. John had been more than insistent, he had actually begged to be allowed to stay, to reassure himself that Ianto and the baby were OK.

Jack had finally given in when Ianto had used his tried and tested lip wobble.

John opened his eyes and stared into Ianto's. Jack was spooning Ianto from behind and was rubbing his belly with slow gentle swirls. Ianto smiled and stifled a yawn.

John lent in and kissed him. Hard. His hand reaching out to stroke his cheek. Ianto froze with surprise as he felt John's hard-on pressing between his legs and couldn't stifle the groan of lust.

Jack slept as Ianto gently rolled back into his embrace more, allowing John access to him. With lip licking anticipation John shuffled down the bed to take Ianto's manhood in his mouth.

Ianto's groans were like a drug spurring him on. Gods, too much stimulation.

Surging back up the bed John pulled Ianto from Jack's arms and further down the bed onto pillows, as he forced himself into him and Ianto barked with pleasure/pain as he was breached with very little preparation.

John couldn't help it. He couldn't stop. Kissing, cuddling, and thrusting. So good. So good.

Jack woke to the feeling of the bed shaking and looked over to see John fucking his mate, he couldn't believe his eyes. Wow.

Ianto's hair fanned out on the bed and his head was thrown back in ecstasy as John bit and nuzzled his throat. His mouth was open and his fangs fully extended as he panted and groaned.

John was being rough, the whole bed shook and Ianto cried out occasionally as he thrust extra deep. Jack crawled over and touched Ianto's face. He opened his eyes and looked at Jack for a second then reached for him with the nearest hand, come play.

Jack gave a gleeful giggle and he reached for Ianto's erection as it pulsed on his stomach. Deep throating him was lovely and Ianto gave a deep scream of pleasure as he gently bit down at the base.

Surging up, Jack slipped behind to spear John with a sigh of pleasure. John froze with shock as he felt Jack pushing into him and began to shudder with delight. Oh lover.

The three men writhed and panted until John couldn't hold back, screaming Ianto's name as he pushed so deep that Ianto moved up the bed, shooting his seed deep into him. Ianto's scream of delight set Jack off, crying out Ianto's name as well, pounding haphazardly into John who was blissfully comatose in Ianto's arms.

Jack pulled John off who grunted and settled, then deep throated Ianto again. He came almost immediately crying out as he filled Jack's mouth again and again with sweet salty goodness.

The three settled back to sleep as the baby kicked gently then settled too.


	5. Chapter 5

Ianto felt bilious and in need of the toilet as well. He rushed into the bathroom, barely making it as he began vomiting.

John had heard him running overhead as he still hadn't sorted the soundproofing, the sound of lovemaking drifting through the pipes too delicious. With a frown he travelled up to the next level to investigate the trampling.

John found Ianto on his knees talking to the porcelain gods. Shit. John scooped his hair back and rubbed his back remembering another lover in the same position.

Shit! Jack. He quickly sent a message on his VM and hoped Jack wasn't too far away. Ianto was getting greener by the minute and was now groaning between surges. Finally he fell back into John's arms, spent and definitely empty as he continued to dry heave pitifully.

John turned on the shower and scooped Ianto into his arms. With soft kisses to his forehead he walked into the shower, clothes and all. Ianto cried out as the cold water hit him but then relaxed as the tension waned.

John spoke to him softly, comforting and soothing him as he carefully began removing his clothes. Ianto was in too much pain to care, groaning as John went to put him down. The discarded clothes formed a nest that he settled Ianto into as he ripped his own clothes off, down to his underwear.

The bang downstairs and screams of Ianto's name repeated as they grew nearer told John that Jack had arrived and he shook his head in amazement at his ex-partner's apparent panicking and called out that they were in the shower.

Jack roared into the room and straight into the water, dropping to kiss Ianto as he shakily stroked the baby shifting in Ianto's extended belly.

Now there were three wet men in the shower in various stages of undress as Jack shucked his braces and tore his shirt off frantically, adding it to the impromptu nest.

Owen was a few moments behind, weighed down by the medical kit he was dragging up the stairs. He stood with his mouth open staring at the three men and then shook his head, reaching for a towel.

"Yes! Good, get more" Jack shouted snatching it from him.

Owen shook his head and pulled an arm full from the cupboard only to have Jack grab those too, straight into the water.

"OI!" Owen roared.

"He's still soaring!" John yelled, turning the water to full volume as it pelted down in them.

"SHIT!" Jack cried, "NO!"

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is fucking going on?" Owen demanded.

"Ianto is rejecting the baby" John sobbed, looking around desperately as if the answer was a fingertip away.

Jack cried out again and ran from the room leaving Ianto sobbing quietly in the nest of fabrics.

"Bedding, we need a bigger nest, gotta coddle him … Owen!" John panted, "Quick Owen, we could lose them both."

Owen ran back into the bedroom and pulled the blankets from the bed and after a moment's hesitation he grabbed the pillows too, struggling back into the shower with his armful of "Nest" materials.

John tucked everything around Ianto and held him gently in his arms, kissing his face, neck, hair and rubbed his hands.

"A little longer my little dove" he crooned as Jack reappeared with his arms full of bags of ice. John's eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet, kissing Jack soundly then helped tuck the ice around a blue and shaking Ianto.

"Shit! Any longer and he'll be hyper thermic" Owen barked

"Yeah, that's the plan" John said absently as he leaned in to kiss Ianto again.

After a while Ianto stopped shaking, presenting with early hyperthermia and John sat back to watch the belly moving in front of him.

"Come on sweetie, come on. Be good for Papa" John crooned as he waited.

Jack stared at him with confusion across his face and then he stalled out. It suddenly all made sense.

As Ianto panted and groaned softly the belly stopped undulating and John cheered with glee. He turned to Jack to congratulate him on their success at staving off the miscarriage when Jack flew at him, smashing his fist into John's unsuspecting nose.

He howled with pain and fell back against the wall and Ianto screamed with horror, trying to get between the two men. Jack threw another punch, catching Ianto on the side of his head as he leaned between them and he fell back into the nest with a cry of alarm.

John calmly pulled his gun and aimed it at Jack's head.

"Just cos it's not permanent, doesn't mean I care any less lover" he snarled as he aimed between Jack's eyes.

Ianto had started to pull the wet duvet over himself as he wept and shook in the bedding while Owen tried to check his injury.

"Fuck, he's bleeding" Owen spat, glaring at Jack.

Jack stared at his own fist with confusion, how did that just happen? Then he glared back at John.

"That thing is yours!" Jack snarled pointing at the sad lump moving under the bedding.

"Fine! I'll take him!" John answered with a huff.

"Thing? Did you just call Ianto a thing?" a voice hissed, "Give him away like an unwanted pet?"

"What?" Jack turned as Gwen stood in the doorway with rage crossing her features.

Jack sat back in shock, what the hell was happening?

"Yours. The baby. That's why he's rejecting it isn't it?" Jack said to John. "My baby was fine! Yours is different DNA, not his mate!"

"Mine." Another voice chimed in softly. "He's mine!"

"The baby? It's a boy?" John said as Ianto's face appeared.

"No ya Twpsyn! You. Mine." Ianto sighed as his eyelids slid shut.

"You claiming me sweet?" John gasped with undisguised glee.

"Yes. Mine. Jack is my nest-mate and you are my nest-mate too" Ianto said as Gwen turned off the water and looked at the men.

"You saying they're both your mate?" she clarified.

"I was hoping. It's our bladesinger way for polygamous families but … it never occurred to me that Jack didn't care for my heritage." Ianto picked at the soggy duvet. "Inviting John into my nest meant … well I suppose I assumed since it was Jack who wanted him to … well Ianto strikes out in love again … and once again I am headed for defeat."

"It's OK. If he doesn't want this baby we can … I mean, do you want … my baby girl needs a family and I don't know what to do." He buried himself again as he started to sob.

"Bastard! Two mothers and still you judge, you fucking bastard!" John snarled at Jack, "Or did you forget about Grey? Did your father love him any less because he came from the other bond-partner that didn't bear you? Fucker!"

Jack opened his mouth but looked at Ianto and shook his head, still shocked.

Ianto's sobs had tapered off and they all looked around at the chaos then John cried out, reaching for the blankets and hurling them behind him.

Ianto lay in a heap, deceptively small despite the large belly. Still and pale against the nesting material with his eyes closed.

"Sweets? Toto?" John's hands were shaking as he touched him then drew back with alarm.

"I don't think he's breathing" he wailed, looking to Owen who fell to his knees not caring about the wet.

"Shit, he's not!" He panted, pulling Ianto flat onto his back as Jack's world dropped from beneath him, "FUCK! He's Coding!"


	6. Chapter 6

Jack watched silently as Owen did chest compressions on his love.

Ianto's belly seemed huge against his frame as Owen grunted with the exertions. He then leant down to breathe into Ianto's mouth and paused as Ianto gasped.

Owen swore and quickly flipped Ianto onto his side as Ianto coughed and struggled weakly.

"Easy mate, easy. You forgot to breathe there buddy!" Owen soothed.

"No. No-one's mate" Ianto choked out and John moaned.

"Mine! You're mine! I love you Sweetie, I claim you!" John sobbed as he tried to pick Ianto up but Jack pushed him away.

"Mine first! Shit! Ianto what did I do? I love you and our baby" Jack looked up and took John's hand as it clutched Ianto's. "_OUR _baby."

"Really?" Ianto smiled and Jack nodded.

"Good? Happy? We all fucking sweet now?" Owen snarled at everyone "Because my patient was just dead for a wee minute or two and this unborn baby needs to be checked!"

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.

.

Tosh was walking back and forth with Miller in her arms.

She had refused to hand him over to anyone and Miller now nodded sleepily against her shoulder as she tried to stay calm.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. The air was wrong, bad.

After what seemed like an eternity Owen walked into the room. He was wet and Gwen followed as she handed him a towel.

"He's okay. The baby doesn't seem stressed but I'm ordering bed rest for the next few days to be on the safe side. That was too fucking close!" Owen slumped into a nearby hair and rubbed furiously at his hair with the towel.

"Fucking mad. Seems our alien-boy had decided one husband isn't enough. He needs two. Only problem was that he forgot to tell said men he wanted them both like a polygamist!" Owen barked with laughter.

"He's Okay? Baby too?" Tosh repeated with relief.

"Is that all you heard?" Owen groused.

"All I need to hear Owen" she smiled as she flounced out of the room to see for herself.

"Yeah. Ta very much Owen. Nice fucking job Owen." Owen muttered to himself.

When John Hart flew into the room and kissed Owen soundly he forgot all about the slight.

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.

.

.

Ianto had to endure bed rest for at least two more days. Owen didn't like his colour. His bloody colour_? I'm a fucking alien what the hell does he know about what colour is appropriate?_

He thought he might die of boredom in less than two more hours let alone two whole days.

Miller was dozing next to him in the bed and he watched his little boy shift in his sleep.

At least someone was happy with the arrangement as Miller reached a little hand for Ianto's hair once more.

The door swung open and Jack entered carrying a tray. Ianto realised he was hungry and he struggled to sit up as Jack neared the bed.

"Oh no you don't" John said as he followed Jack into the room and rushed to help Ianto.

"Bed Rest John. Not a bloody drug-induced comma" Ianto groaned.

"Just didn't want you to over exert yourself Toto" John kissed Ianto's forehead as he tucked another pillow behind Ianto's back.

"Oh! She's kicking. She's happy to see you both!" Ianto cooed and flapped his hand at them.

Jack quickly put the tray down and the two men placed their hands over the bump which pushed and undulated for them.

John looked over their joined hands at Jack who was grinning back.

"Ours" Jack whispered.

"Yeah! Always Jax" John sighed back wistfully.

**Yeah, I know. I'm a bloody softie but I couldn't leave ya hanging like that for another day.**


	7. Chapter 7

The nursery was bright pinks and oranges that made your eyes water. The purple spots seemed to break it up somehow and that didn't seem quite right.

Ianto HATED it with a passion but the two idiots had spent so much time on it as a surprise that he didn't know how to tell them so he stood there making small noises he hoped were sounding positive as they eagerly showed him around.

"See the changing table Toto?" John pointed like he might think it was a bloody elephant or something if he hadn't named it "I put that together!"

_Grunt._

"Yeah? Well I painted the mural!" Jack grinned as he waved his arm at the splotches of bright … um. _Flowers?_

"Lovely Cariad, so bright" Ianto tried.

"Yeah, all girls like butterflies!" Jack enthused. _Oh. That's what they are._

"And the purple?" Ianto pointed. _Why not, they were!_

"Stars" two voices said at once and Ianto again grunted.

"You hate it" Jack said softly and John groaned.

"No, no. I'm just a bit … overwhelmed" Ianto chocked out.

"See? Told ya!" John enthused, "Perfect for our little rosebud."

"NO!" Jack barked.

"Jack?" Ianto placed his hand on Jack's arm.

"Not Rose. She … No." Jack sighed.

"No. Not Rose. Our little flower is rarer than a Rose" John agreed as he placed his hand over Ianto's.

Jack smiled his thanks as he looked around again with glee.

The changing table gave a jolt as a bolt fell to the floor and John made a small noise in his throat as he rushed to replace it. Jack followed spouting advice.

Ianto silently schemed.


	8. Chapter 8

Ianto was restless as he wandered the house alone.

A rift storm had been brewing for weeks and now it had erupted over the city spewing filth and alien vermin like the seven plagues across Cardiff.

Everyone had mobilized to fight the threat, even Unit had hastily sequestered itself to Torchwood without the usual fanfare involved and two very tearful men had left their heavily pregnant mate to answer the call.

Ianto knew they were safe. Stinky Snot Bag was asleep in his room with more security than you could shake a stick at. The robot K9 they had inherited from Sarah-Jane seemed particularly fond of Miller and spent most nights recharging in his room.

As Ianto looked out over the city he felt his baby move. He smiled and sent loving thoughts as his hand slid over the extended belly and felt her move again.

Ianto's face dropped as the next movement was not so pleasant. SHIT.

Ianto fumbled for the dresser where the Bluetooth earpiece beckoned but found himself on his knees as the next contraction hit with force.

Unable to call for help and afraid to wake his baby boy he lay on the floor for the bedroom and ground his teeth as his daughter decided tonight was the night to enter the world.

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.

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John and Jack were arguing. Owen sometimes wondered who had really chosen to marry who as this pair of old women were doing his head in.

For the fourth time John informed Jack that his "gun" was bigger and Jack snarled back that just because a pea-shooter can hit the mark it doesn't make it into a canon.

"Will you both shut the flying fuck up for the love of all things holly?" Owen barked.

Tosh snorted and shook her head as she continued to troll the scans for and more signs of life.

"I think we may be done!" she finally exclaimed and everyone sighed with relief.

It was early morning when both men dragged themselves from the SUV and slunk up the stairs.

"I bags not to be the one to tell Toto about the damage to the library in town!" John sighed as he left a boot on the stair.

"Well, I bags not to tell him about the SUV's side panels, after all that was all you!" Jack snarled back as he pulled Johns coat off and flung it into the darkness below.

"Ta. Shoulder's killing me" John grunted as they crept into the bedroom.

Jack crawled into his usual side of the bed with a groan of pleasure. Little Miller's bum was presented in the bedding he had folded back and he bent to kiss the small exposed back above the nappy before pulling his little shirt down and covering them both with the blankets.

John crawled in the other side to spoon the naturally warm Ianto and his own sigh of pleasure as he wriggled against him made Jack smile in the dark.

The first birds were beginning to sing as sleep finally began touching Jack and he looked one more time in the developing light of morning at his family. Then he froze.

He held his breath as he drew the blanket down from Ianto's chest and looked down at the lump that had been formed between Ianto and Miller.

A small face with wide blinking eyes regarded him and he felt a sob breaking his heart with joy as he looked down at this new daughter.

John's face, unmistakably his angled features with Ianto's eyes and colouring. Fair wisps of hair and the loveliest button nose he had ever seen. Jack had thought Miller beautiful but in the dawn he saw his most gorgeous sight yet.

Reaching over he prodded John who grunted and burrowed deeper into Ianto's back.

"Be careful John, he's probably a bit sore." Jack whispered and John blearily looked up at Jack who was propped on one elbow.

"Wha..?' John yawned and looked in the direction of Jack's soft grin.

John saw his daughter grabbing at Jack's face and he shot from the bed.

"What the fuck it that?" he cried with shock.

"THAT is your daughter ya muppet!" came a muffled reply as Ianto woke. "I was fucking asleep!"

"Sorry gorgeous, wow!" John climbed back onto the bed and took another peek at her, "Wow!"

Ianto snorted to show his humour was intact and rolled slightly to show her more to her fathers.

The smell of his milk made her whimper and he expertly rolled her as she nuzzled and began to suckle. Ianto made a nose of pleasure to his little chick.

Jack gasped with glee and licked his lips at the thought of Ianto's milk and John sat on the end of the bed as he wept.

John crawled up the bed and shakily reached a tentative hand out, touching her hair.

"Gods, she's perfect." He sobbed, "Oh Toto darling, look what you did!"

Ianto smiled and pursed his lips for a kiss which John gladly gifted.

Finished with her impromptu feed she now let out a little kitten cry as she wanted attention.

"Mine!" John crowed as he plucked her from her Tadda's arms and cradled her to his chest.

"Oh, mine. My heart, my soul. My starlight." He crooned as she blinked back her agreement.

Jack kissed Ianto gently and stroked his face as he silently asked if he was alright. Ianto smiled his affirmation and requested another kiss.

"She's so delicate. Smaller than the bug man. Look at her tiny fingers. Oh, oh, her little ears. Look, her earlobes are like tiny petals." John was gushing but didn't care as his baby girl gave a milky gas grin.

"Oh gods" he moaned in love "she smiles. Oh, for me. For me"

He sobbed as he kissed her little forehead. She let out a little burp and he crowed again at her cleverness. She simply blinked her agreement with him.

"So? What do you think of her Papa?" Ianto demanded.

"She's a perfect little flower in bloom" he whispered with awe "My little pink Poppy."

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**And so ends part five. As Poppy is definitely a little princess the next series will be titled "Pink" in her honour. Keep an eye out, it's coming soon. Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW. I don't know if anyone still reads this 'Verse anymore. Is it worth another part?**


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